Improvement in iron frames for upright pianos



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GEORGE STECK, OFNEW YORK, N. Y.

Letters Patent No. 100,948, dated March 15, 1870.

IMPROVEMENT IN IRON FRAMES IOR UPRIGHT PIANOS.

The Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent. and making part of thesame To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, GEORGE S'rncK, of the city, county, and State ofNewYork, have invented au Im proved Iron Frame for Upright Piano-Fortes;and I do hereby declare that the following is a full and exactdesciiption thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawingsmaking part of this specification- Figure I being a front elevation ofthe frame.

Figure II, avertical transverse section of the same.

Figure III, a horizontal transverse section thereof.

Figure IV, a rear elevation of the frame.

Like letters designate corresponding parts in all of the figures.

My invention consists incertain improvements in the construction of andattachments to au upright piano-forte iron frame, whereby it is madecomplete and independent in itself, and may be inserted in the case ofthe instrument and withdrawn without disturbing any part, and by whichthe instrument is iliade much lighter and cheaper, with equal strengthand durability.

The frame, having the proper form to receive the strings, is la. lightskeleton or open frame, and consists of a broad plate, A, at tle top,side uprights B B', and bottom (l, the top and bottom being connected byoblique brace-ribs D 1) D, extending in the direc tion of the strings,and by an oblique counterbrace, E.

Attached to one side and to the bottom C, at one end, is a plate, F, inwhich the pins of the small i strings or wires are inserted. The frame,thus formed,

is cast all in one piece.

My improvements are made in connection with this front frame, asfollows:

Behind the top plate A of the frame, in a recess therein, so as to bearupon a ledge, s, on the back side of the frame, is secured thewrest-plank G.

Then, upon the back ofthe mest-plank are secured the upper ends of a.set of metallic braces, H H H, which extend downward across the backside of the frame obliquely in the same direction as and directly behindthe brace-ribs D I) D of the frame.

The wrest-plank projects back from the fi'ame, so as to separate thebraces H H H sufliciently from the fiume to give the desired leverage ofstrength, and to furnish room for the admission of the sounding-boardbetween them and the frame; and in order to hold the braces away atanequal distance from the frame at the bottom, raised bearings orprojections :t z a: are

cast upon the back sides of the brace-ribs D DI)` to which the lowerends of the braces are secured by bolts or pins.

These braces hook or clamp around the bottoms of the projecting bearingsw x, as shown at c, Fig. II, and also around the top of the wrest-plankGf as shown at w in the saine figure, .there being suitable metallicblocks or strips m nt nt i serted in the wrestplauk for the hooks orheads of the braces to bear on, as represented.

The braces arc secured by bolts to tbe wrest-plank and front frame, asshown. A similar brace, H', may extend down behind the end B' in avertical direction, as shown in Fig. IV.

A rabbet, n, is cut in the corner of the wrcst-plank to receive the edgeof the sounding-board for fastening the same in its place between thefront frame and the rear braces.

This construct-ion and arrangement ofrear clampbraces, in combinationwith the front frame, prevent the warping or yielding of the lframe tothe force of the tuned strings wit-l1 the lightest possible construetion, the braces being so applied as to act most etliciently tostrengthen the frame.

The construction is simple and easy; and, altogether, not only is thewhole instrument made much ligb ter thereby, but very materially cheaperthan other wnst-ructions, with equal strength and durability.

The frame is entirely complete and independentin itself, and it has twolugs, a, (t, projecting from the sides near the bottom, by which theframeis supported in the case of the instrument, as they simply rest onbearings or blocks therein. Then the top is secured by bolts or screwsin the upper part of the case. Thus it iseasily secured in place, andcan be removed for repairs or other purposes with great facility withoutdisturbing tbe rest of the instrument.

\Vhat I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,isf 1. The arrangement, in combination, of the iron frame A B C D, tbewrest-plank Gr,l and the rear c1amp-braces H H, so that the wrest-plankforms the intermediate connection between the frame and the upper endsof the braces, and the sounding-board is admitted between the said trameand'braces, substantially ashercin specified.

2. The lugs a ay on the sides of the frame, for the purpose specified.

Witnesses HENRY E. konnen, J onsT CHRIST.

GEORGE s'rEcK.

